ALAMEDA, Calif - S.F. Bay Area astronaut Yvonne Cagle with NASA AMES Research Center and Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin spoke at the Alameda ship yard at the U.S.S. Hornet in front of a crowd of more than 5000 during his 45th Anniversary of landing on the surface of the Earth’s moon. Cagle said, "My father called me inside, pointed to the TV and said, that's a man walking on the moon". At twelve-years-old Cagle said, “She was amazed, astounding by what I saw”. As she sat with her family sitting by the side of the TV set, Cagle said, “A man was walking on the moon”.The USS Hornet Museum celebrated its 45th Anniversary of Apollo 11 and man’s first steps on the moon. USS HORNET (CVS-12) was the primary recovery ship for the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 lunar landing missions.Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin said, "As Neil and I walked upon the surface of the moon at Tranquility Base, we satisfied a vision held by humankind for centuries". Being the first two walk on the moon the two man crew left behind an American flag, honoring the fallen Apollo 1 crew members. A plaque on one of Eagle's legs read, "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind".After 45-years Aldrin has a new message. “We need to invite the world to join us on our mission to mars", Aldrin said. “By participating in a unified, international effort, we avoid an unnecessary race back to the moon and can still participate in lunar science”.Aldrin explained during the splashdown event how he and Armstrong, who has since passed away at the age of 84 on August 26, 2012 following complications related to a recent heart surgery, climbed into the lunar module “Eagle” and began their descent to the lunar surface, while Collins orbited the command module Columbia.The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet, was charged with recovering astronauts Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins after splash down in the pacific ocean after returning in the Columbia module from space.The USS Hornet Museum Splashdown 45 event celebrated the July 20, 1969 successful recovery the first two NASA missions that landed men on the moon, Apollo 11 and Apollo 12.As Aldrin, 84, autographed his new book “Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration”, the California Coast Guard performed a mock drill with rescue swimmers performing a mock drill to rescue a boater from the water as hundreds watched from the flight deck of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. You can find out more by watching a video about the lunar landing anniversary on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/Apollo45, Buzz Aldrin’s twitter site #Apollo 45. You can also find more on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/usshornetmuseum.

Share this article

Amy Nilson is pursing an Environmental Studies Degree at San Jose State University with an emphasis in
Environmental Resource Preservation and Resource Management. She is actively involved in helping keep her community clean by participating in graffiti and blithe removal for a better San Jose.